A valve arrangement is provided with a very short minimum valve adjustment time. This is especially suitable for use in respirators or anesthesia apparatuses for metering gases for respirated patients. It has a valve (3, 4) with a seat (3) and with a valve closing part (4) for adjusting the gas flow rate, an inflow line (1) and a discharge line (2) as well as a drive system (5) for controlling the position of the valve closing part (4) relative to the seat (3). A gas flow rate measuring transducer (8) and a control unit (9) are provided for controlling the drive system (5) by means of a control signal. A velocity measuring transducer (7) for measuring the velocity of the valve closing means (4) relative to the seat (3) is present to provide an output signal used to calculate the control signal (40) for the drive system (5).
Legal claims defining the scope of protection, as filed with the USPTO.
1. A valve arrangement for controlling the flow rate of a gas, the valve arrangement comprising: a valve, with a seat and with a valve closing means for adjusting a gas flow rate; an inflow line; a discharge line; a drive system for controlling the position of said valve closing means relative to said seat; a gas flow rate measuring transducer; a control unit for controlling said drive system by a control signal; a velocity measuring transducer for measuring the velocity of the valve closing means relative to the seat providing an output signal used to calculate the control signal for said drive system.
2. A valve arrangement in accordance with claim 1 , wherein said control unit includes a gas flow rate signal conditioner and a velocity signal conditioner and said control signal for said drive system is determined by forming a difference from a gas flow rate set point, an output signal of said velocity signal conditioner and an output signal of said gas flow rate signal conditioner.
3. A valve arrangement in accordance with claim 2 , wherein said control unit includes a current signal conditioner and said control signal for said drive system is determined by additionally forming a difference between an output signal of said current signal conditioner.
4. A valve arrangement in accordance with claim 1 , wherein said control unit includes a pressure signal conditioner and a velocity signal conditioner and said control signal for said drive system is determined by forming a difference from said pressure set point, an output signal of said velocity signal conditioner and an output signal of said pressure signal conditioner.
5. A valve arrangement in accordance with claim 4 , wherein said control unit includes a current signal conditioner and said control signal for said drive system is determined by additionally forming a difference from an output signal of said current signal conditioner.
6. A valve arrangement in accordance with claim 1 , wherein said control unit includes a gas flow rate signal conditioner, a pressure signal conditioner and a velocity signal conditioner and said control signal for said drive system is determined by forming a difference from a pressure set point, a gas flow rate set point, an output signal of said velocity signal conditioner, an output signal of said gas flow rate signal conditioner, and an output signal of said pressure signal conditioner.
7. A valve arrangement in accordance with claim 6 , wherein said control unit includes a current signal conditioner and said control signal for said drive system is determined by additionally forming a difference from an output signal of said current signal conditioner.
8. A valve arrangement in accordance with claim 1 , wherein said drive system includes an electrodynamic drive.
9. A valve arrangement in accordance with claim 1 , wherein said drive system includes an electromagnetic drive.
10. A valve arrangement in accordance with claim 1 , wherein said drive system is designed as a piezoelectric drive system.
11. A valve arrangement in accordance with claim 1 , wherein said gas flow rate measuring transducer is a thermal mass flow sensor.
12. A valve arrangement in accordance with claim 1 , wherein said gas flow rate measuring transducer includes a sensor based on a differential pressure measurement over a fixed pneumatic resistor.
13. A valve arrangement in accordance with claim 1 , wherein said gas flow rate measuring transducer is a sensor based on differential pressure measurement over an opening gap between said seat and said valve closing means, wherein the opening gap is measured by means of a position sensor.
14. A valve arrangement in accordance with claim 1 , wherein said velocity measuring transducer is an electrodynamic sensor and is placed in the magnetic field of said drive system.
15. A valve arrangement in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the ratio of admission pressure before said seat and valve closing means and back pressure behind said seat and valve closing means is between 2 and 10.
16. A valve arrangement in accordance with claim 1 , wherein a ratio of admission pressure before said seat and valve closing means and back pressure behind said seat and valve closing means is between 1 and 2.
17. A valve arrangement in accordance with claim 1 in combination with one or more of a respirator and anesthesia apparatus for metering gas for respirated patients.
18. A valve system controlling the flow rate of a gas, the system comprising: a valve with valve orifice part and a valve closing part, the valve closing part being movable between a closed position with the valve closing part in contact with the valve orifice part and an open position; an inflow line connected to said valve; a discharge line connected to said valve; a drive system for controlling the position of said valve closing part relative to said valve orifice part; a gas flow rate measuring transducer; a velocity measuring transducer for measuring the velocity of the valve closing part relative to the valve orifice part and providing a measured closing part velocity output signal; a control unit for controlling said drive system by a control signal based in part on the measured closing part velocity output signal.
19. A valve arrangement in accordance with claim 18 , further comprising a pressure measuring transducer, wherein said control unit includes a measured closing part velocity signal conditioner and at least one of a pressure signal conditioner and a gas flow rate signal conditioner and said control signal is formed from a difference of a gas flow rate set point signal, an output signal of said velocity signal conditioner and one or more of an output signal of said gas flow rate signal conditioner and an output signal of said pressure signal conditioner.
20. A method of controlling the flow rate of a gas, the method comprising the steps of: providing a valve with valve orifice seat and a closing part; connecting an inflow line to the valve; connecting a discharge line to the valve; controlling the position of the valve closing part relative to the valve orifice seat with a drive system, the closing part being movable between a closed position with the valve closing part in contact with the valve orifice seat and an open position; providing a gas flow rate measuring transducer; providing a velocity measuring transducer for measuring the velocity of the valve closing part relative to the valve orifice seat and providing a measured closing part velocity output signal; using a control unit to control the drive system with a control signal based in part on the measured closing part velocity output signal; and metering gas for respirating a patient or administering anesthesia to a patient.
Cooperative Patent Classification codes for this invention. Click any code to explore related patents in that topic.
March 18, 2002
May 4, 2004
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